bogeyandruby

I attended a work bookclub Christmas party yesterday evening. I refer to it as a party rather than a meeting because the vibe was too festive to be referred to as anything else, replete with beautiful Christmas decorations, fancy food to feast on, Santa-red cocktails decorated with reindeer antlers (aka sprigs of rosemary), a hot chocolate station and a fair number of ugly Christmas sweaters making the rounds. To top it all off, there had been snow falling for much of the day, the sparkly diamond kind that looks better from inside your house than falling on your windscreen driving along the highway.

I arrived home from the party around 10:45 pm, wrote a blog entry, let Jazz the chihuahua out one last time, and tidied the kitchen because I absolutely hate waking up to a messy kitchen with dishes in the sink. (This was nothing compared to the mess we left for our hostess with the mostest.)

As my head hit the pillow, I looked forward to a deep and restful sleep. An hour and a half after rolling into bed, I was wide awake, my brain on overstimulation mode. This happens a lot when I socialize in the evening, especially at a high energy event, a weird combination of feeling wired but also completely spent.

Retirement should be the cure for the morning after a party but today was a work day. Nothing compared to a party but I still have to engage with clients all day.

If I were to describe the feeling in my brain right now, I would describe it as a kind of hangover but without alcohol having been drunk, like all the liquid has been sucked from my brain and then someone is trying to squeeze it dry even further. It is not the same feeling as being tired from lack of sleep; it really feels like I have been hit by the party truck and dragged along for a few miles or a few hours.

There is only one remedy for this kind of fatigue. Near complete isolation to allow time to recharge. This season is tightly packed with holiday parties and family gatherings. A whole lot of socialization packed into a few intense weeks. Tomorrow will be a complete rest day for me and I will do my best to keep the weekend low key.

On a positive note, ten more days until winter solstice!